The Youngstown Phantoms wrap up the regular season this weekend with back-to-back games against the Anderson Cup winners. The Phantoms (31-20-7, fourth East) face off with the United States Hockey League’s top team, the Green Bay Gamblers, this Friday and Saturday at the Covelli Centre in their final tune-up before the start of the Clark Cup Playoffs next Monday.

These games should prove interesting in the sense that Phantoms Coach Anthony Noreen has to make the decision of getting his healing troops back in sync, or resting guys to make a push in the playoffs which start Monday.  He may try to do a little of both by reassembling the lines and limiting the time of the top skaters.

One luxury Noreen does not have to worry about for the Green Bay series is whether or not to play Matt O’Connor.  The goaltending situation is a great problem to have when, on your roster,  you have not one, but two, goaltenders who have been awarded the highest individual honor at their position at some point this season.  Sean Romeo is the current honoree.

The Phantoms are locked into the No. 4 seed in the USHL Eastern Conference and cannot do anything to affect their playoff standings, but Coach Noreen said that won’t change his approach to the weekend. On the contrary, he said, the final games will be an opportunity to improve his team’s postseason preparation.

“The type of team we’re seeing this weekend (Green Bay) is the type of team we’re going to see in the playoffs – every round,” Noreen said. “We can use [this series] as a teaching tool – as experience.”

The first-year head coach said that the weekend series will also provide a chance for a number of players to get reintegrated into the lineup. Forwards Sam Anas (illness) and Jonathan Liau (illness) as well as defenseman Kevin Liss (lower-body injury) could all return to the ice against the Gamblers (46-9-3, first East) – a welcome boost for the Phantoms with the playoffs around the corner.

“Our big focus this weekend is going to be making sure we do things the right way and executing the way we want with the X’s and O’s,” he said. “We want to make sure that everybody stays sharp and we want to make sure when we’re on the ice, we’re not just going through the motions. That way, it’s not a switch we have to turn on when it comes playoff time.”

It’s Fan Appreciation Weekend at the Covelli Centre and the Phantoms will be holding a game-worn jersey auction while the Eagle Wear Team Shop will be offering a 25 percent discount on all merchandise as well as buy one, get one free deals Phantoms T-shirts.